As a young individual, it’s natural to aspire to look good.
There are quite a few reasons that determine your height as an adult. Many tend to believe that height is mainly influenced by genetics. This isn’t entirely true, as genetics only determining how tall you will be once your growth phase comes to an end. On the other hand, there are several factors that determine your height.
In fact, scientists have stated that an improvement in nutritional content may be the main reason behind the individual’s height experiencing a spurt. As a result, it’s crucial that children are fed a well-balanced diet, right from the time they breastfeed, till they’re able to start eating solids.
The years between the ages of 18 and 20 are when an individual is most likely to expect to be able to grow taller naturally. It is observed the growth plates in your bones — mainly the soft areas of cartilage where bones are able to grow longer are no longer soft. They prevent further growth.
It is observed that growth plates are active during childhood but stop working once an individual reaches adulthood. The critical growth plates tend to finish developing completely around age 16 for girls, and sometime between ages 14 and 19 in boys. Unfortunately, that means you can’t really make yourself taller once you’ve reached adulthood. There could be other growth stunting factors too, that could hamper natural height growth.
| Slouching is one of the most common factors that prevents height increase. A good posture is one of the many things that make you taller. |
Calcium(1) is essential for the growth and maintenance of strong bones and acts as a height booster. It is one of the most important foods for an increase in height. Milk is one of the primary sources of calcium. Skimmed milk is free from fat and contains 100% protein.
You can drink milk with a spoon of sugar or honey added to it. It’s recommended that you drink at least 2-3 glasses of milk a day.
[Read: Magnesium for Bone]
Consuming fruits and vegetables plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They contain vitamins, fibre, potassium and folates. Vitamin A helps in the overall maintenance of bones and tissues. Fruits such as papaya, mango, passion fruit, watermelon and apricots are abundant in vitamin A.
Vitamin A is usually also found in vegetables like carrots, peas, pumpkin, spinach, cabbage, sweet potato, etc. These aside, citrus fruits, berries, potatoes and tomatoes also contain vitamin C which helps in the healthy growth of bones and contributes to the height of a person.
You can eat the fruits and vegetables raw or add them in salads, curries, or various other dishes. One should have multiple fruits and vegetables every day, whether raw or cooked.
[Read: Benefits of Green Leafy Vegetables]
Chicken contains the highest amount of protein in comparison to other animal sources. These proteins are essential for the building of tissues and muscles.
Chicken can be incorporated in various salads and dishes. You can also add vegetables like capsicum and potato to your chicken curry to make it more nutritious. One should have chicken at least twice a week
Oatmeal(2) is among the most healthy sources of plant protein. It helps in increasing the body’s muscle mass and decreasing fat.
You can add milk to your oatmeal and consume it directly. You can also be creative and make oatmeal cookies or other healthy snacks and desserts. It is advisable to consume 50 grams of oatmeal for breakfast every day.
[ Read: Benefits of Oatmeal ]
Starches and grains are the main sources of energy for our body. They help replenish the body by providing vitamin B, fibre, iron, magnesium, and selenium. As they provide the vital calories, their consumption should ideally be increased specifically during puberty, when children go through a rapid hormonal phase. Brown rice, popcorn, whole wheat and whole-grain pasta are good examples.
Grains are usually added to curries and salads. One should have at least a bowl of grains every day. You can also consume them in any other form based on your preferences.
An ideal diet should have fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, etc. At the same time, it should limit the consumption of sugar and junk food.
One should maintain a balanced diet throughout the week. In the event that you’re unable to stick to the diet on a given day, try getting back to your routine the very day day so you can feel your best.
| One tends to gain a small bit of height after sleep due to muscle adjustments. |
Loss of sleep may lead to a slowing down of one’s growth. It is observed that the body releases HGH while you sleep. Production of this hormone will be volatile if don’t get enough rest.
A minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep is recommended to rejuvenate the body.
[ Read: Valerian Root for Peaceful Sleep ]
Regular exercise has several benefits. It strengthens your muscles and bones, helps you to maintain a healthy body weight, and boosts HGH production.
Children in school should get at least an hour or two of exercise in all forms, such as strength building, fitness and aerobics on a daily basis.
A poor posture may make you look shorter than you actually are. It has been observed that slumping or slouching can also affect your actual height.
The human backbone curves naturally in three places. Therefore, it is seen that if you regularly slump or slouch, these curves may not adjust to the posture. This would lead to pain in your neck and back.
One should maintain a good posture all day long, whether sitting or standing. This will help prevent a slowing down of your growth.
| Hormonal imbalance can cause dwarfism and reduce height growth. |
[ Read: Boost Your Immune System ]
Yoga is key to maintaining a healthy body. It can help in increasing height and also managing weight. You can do yoga(3) in the comfort of your own home or in a group at your local gym.
One should practice yoga for at least half every day.
While it is observed that there are multiple factors that play a role in height growth and as individuals, we must concentrate on the key tips that make you grow tall. A good height has vital benefits and can also help improve your personality.
It is seen that one of the best ways to increase height is simple exercises and a moderate control over your diet. Even though all factors are not under our control, abiding by such good practices will go a long way in contributing to height growth.
Having a balanced diet with proteins, vitamins, fruits ,vegetables, poultry, etc. is enough to provide the body with the nutrients needed to grow taller. One need not consume any commercially available supplements to enhance height growth.
Girls usually stop growing between the ages of 14 and 16. Post this age, chances of height growth are very less.
While sleeping on its own does not make you grow taller, it is considered to be one of the factors that does aid in the process. There are a variety of factors that contribute in height growth such as genetics, diet, exercise, etc.